Stubborn
by Violetrose93
Summary: After Marina confesses her feelings for Jimmy, he rejects her and leaves. A year later, he shows up to apologize and he finds out that she's getting maried. But can a little meddling from Marina's butler force these two to look past their own stubborness and realize their true feelings for one another? Questshipping oneshot.


**I wrote this back at the beginning of October, but it got lost in the chaos that is my computer. Eh, better late than never. And this is number four of my five updates for today, so I'm feeling particularly accomplished. Also, my family's new kitten (Kitniss Everdeen) is back, trying to sprawl across my keyboard as I try to type this. Just saying **

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><p><em>Here goes nothing,<em> Jimmy thought, lifting the heavy brass knocker and banging it against the door. The Davis mansion was huge, and he hoped someone would hear him knocking. Jimmy shifted his weight from foot to foot, wondering what exactly he was doing here.

_You haven't seen Marina in more than a year,_ he thought to himself. _What makes you think she'll even want to talk to you?_

The door swung open, revealing an austere looking butler with iron gray hair and sharp blue eyes. Jimmy grinned, momentarily forgetting his reservations about Marina.

"Alfie! It's been a long time, man," Jimmy said. Alfie stared at Jimmy for a second, his face hard.

"I'm sorry, I don't . . ." Alfie trailed off. His eyes widened suddenly, and he laughed.

"Jimmy! I didn't even recognize you," Alfie said. When Jimmy and Marina had been kids, Alfie had always covered for Marina when she'd snuck out of the house. Jimmy and Alfie had initially gotten off to a rocky start, but Jimmy had eventually won the older man over. Jimmy said it was his charm and good looks. Marina said it was probably his good nature.

"Hey, is Marina home?" Jimmy asked, trying to sound casual. Alfie's face fell slightly, and he nodded hesitantly.

"She is, but she's not seeing anyone right now."

"Why?" Jimmy asked, alarmed. "Is she okay?"

Alfie shrugged helplessly. "She's engaged, Jimmy."

All at once, the world seemed to tilt. It felt like someone had just suckered punched Jimmy in the gut, and he had to reach out and steady himself on the railing.

"Engaged?" Jimmy asked weakly. Alfie nodded carefully.

"You remember Vincent?"

"Isn't he her _cousin_?" Jimmy's voice was incredulous.

Alfie laughed shortly. "Not technically, no. Mr. and Mrs. Davis just called him their nephew when they took him in. His father was very good friends with Mr. Davis."

Jimmy took a deep breath. "Alfie, I really need to see Marina. Can you at least let her know that I'm here? I'll be down by the creek if she wants to talk to me."

"I'll tell her, Jimmy."

"Thanks, Alfie."

"It's good to see you. You grew up rather nicely. Imagine my surprise. I suppose first impressions aren't entirely accurate," Alfie said, his eyes twinkling. Jimmy smiled weakly back.

"I guess I surprised everyone," Jimmy replied, his voice tinged with just a hint of sadness.

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><p>Marina threw another shoe at the wall, ignoring the hole the heel put into the plaster. Her room was a complete disaster area, but Marina was beyond caring. What was the point?<p>

"What happened to us?" Marina asked Little Miss sadly. Little Miss just stared at her gloomily.

"Marina, you have a fitting soon," her mother called from the other room. Marina shoved her face into a pillow and screamed.

"Do you think I could suffocate myself before she comes looking for me?" Marina asked, looking at Little Miss bleakly. Little Miss shook her head frantically, tugging the pillow away from Marina, who laughed.

"Relax. I don't need to be on suicide watch."

"Marina!"

"Yet," Marina muttered darkly, dragging herself off the floor. In the hallway, Marina walked right into Alfie, almost sending him tumbling down the stairs.

"Alfie! I'm so sorry," Marina cried, grabbing the butler on the arm to steady him. The older man chuckled quietly.

"It's fine, Marina. It's not a good day until I have a brush with death."

"Don't say things like that," Marina scolded. "Honestly, if it wasn't for you, I'd probably go insane."

Alfie nodded slowly. "Marina, there's something I need to tell you."

Marina brightened slightly. "Vincent was trampled by a runaway heard of Rapidash, so the wedding's off?"

"No-o," Alfie said, although he looked shifty. "It's about Jimmy."

Marina's face hardened. "What about him?"

"He's here," Alfie said bluntly. "He was just at the door, but since you're not seeing anyone . . ."

Marina was very quiet. The idea that Jimmy had been right downstairs, so close, made her feel queasy. It had been so long.

"Why's he here now? I mean, I'm getting married in a month."

"He didn't know, Marina. When I told him, he looked . . . exceedingly distraught."

"Why would he?" Marina sniffed disdainfully. "He made his feelings perfectly clear the last time we saw each other."

Alfie looked at her sharply, a rare glint of annoyance lighting his eyes. "What have I said about holding grudges, Marina?"

Marina scoffed. "Oh, okay. So Jimmy gets to walk out, disappear for a _year_, and then waltz right back into my life, and I'm just supposed to let him? To _forgive_ him?" Marina just glared at her butler, anger coming off her in waves. But then, as quickly as it had come, her fury dissipated, leaving Marina feeling exhausted.

"You never did tell me what happened, you know." Alfie looked at her critically.

"It doesn't matter," mumbled Marina. "Not anymore."

"I think it does," he replied quietly. "I think it matters a great deal."

"Who cares?" said Marina bitterly. "I'm getting married next month, and that's that."

Alfie looked at her sadly. "I thought you were better than that, Marina. Are you really so stubborn that you'd marry Vincent just to spite Jimmy?"

"That's not why I'm marrying Vincent," Marina said defensively. "I like Vincent."

"Like?" Alfie raised an eyebrow. "Or love?"

Marina was silent, wanting to say the words, but finding that she couldn't. "Oh, God," she whispered, clenching her eyes shut.

Alfie shook his head and sighed. "You're two of the most hardheaded people I've ever met. Even when you and Jimmy were kids, it was like trying to talk sense into two rocks."

"Gee, thanks, Alfie," replied Marina sarcastically.

Smiling at her, Alfie said, "You're very welcome. Now, I have to go see the maid about polishing the silver."

"Oooh, fun," Marina said, heading back into her room.

"Oh, and Marina?"

"Yeah?"

"Jimmy wanted me to tell you that he's down by the creek, if you want to see him."

"He is?" asked Marina quickly.

Alfie grinned, causing Marina to blush slightly. "I'd use the back door, if I were you," he said, winking as he disappeared downstairs.

"Thanks, Alfie," Marina said softly.

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><p>The forest was beautiful this time of year. Everything hummed with life, and the smell of summer was as thick as the dense, leafy greenery. Jimmy sat on the edge of the creek, listening to the cheerful gurgle of the water. He didn't know if Marina would show up, but he intended to wait all night.<p>

"Dammit," Jimmy muttered, kicking a stone into the water. _I never should have left_, he thought miserably. It had been the stupidest thing he'd ever done. He's been scared, sure, but that was no excuse. It wouldn't be any wonder if Marina didn't come.

The last year had been awful, even with all the traveling he'd done. The world seemed to have lost its color, and every morning when he woke up, he forgot for a minute that he and Marina had split up. But then he would leave his tent, expecting to see Marina sitting by the fire with messy blue hair and sleepy smile. Instead, there was just emptiness.

A branch snapped behind him, and Jimmy turned hopefully. A Stantler paused, eyeing Jimmy cautiously, before turning and bounding away. Jimmy's shoulders drooped and he started to sit back down.

"Jimmy?"

Jimmy turned and spun so fast that his feet got caught on a rock. He lost his balance and fell backwards into the creek. Despite the warm summer day, the water was icy, and Jimmy made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a shriek. As he struggled to get up, Marina appeared over him, her face contorted slightly as she bit back a laugh.

"Well, I guess some things haven't changed," she quipped, helping him up. Jimmy smiled mischievously at her.

"Nope," he said, and then he shook his hair vigorously. Marina squealed as water flew everywhere, and she jumped back onto the bank. Jimmy just laughed and hobbled out of the creek, wincing at the sharp pain in his angle. Marina noticed the expression on his face and immediately made him sit down.

"You know, if you went five seconds without hurting yourself, I don't know what I'd do," Marina said dryly, pulling Jimmy's first aid kit out of his pack and tossing it to him.

"Aw, you're not going to bandage it for me?" Jimmy asked teasingly. Marina threw a rolled up towel in his face.

"Keep it up, Kenta," Marina muttered, going to sit next to him. They were silent as Jimmy bound his injured ankle, although Marina made a face at the state of his socks. They were both avoiding the obvious, trying their best to act normal. But you could only go so long without acknowledging the pink elephant in the room.

"I saw Alfie," Jimmy said casually.

Marina nodded. "He told me. Obviously."

Jimmy blushed. "Yeah, right."

"Why are you here, Jimmy?" Marina asked quietly, her blue eyes penetrating. Jimmy swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly very dry. How was he supposed to say, "I realized that I'm madly in love with you and I came here to beg you to forgive me" without sounding too desperate?

"I was in town, and I thought I'd stop by," Jimmy said, shrugging slightly.

"Oh." Marina looked down at her feet.

"You're getting married," said Jimmy flatly.

Marina nodded slowly but didn't response.

"Since when?" There was a hint of reproach in his voice that Jimmy couldn't quite mask.

"Since last April," Marina replied softly, not looking at him.

"Do you love him?"

Marina's head snapped up, her eyes flashing angrily. "Is that really any of your business?"

Jimmy took a deep breath. "It can be, if you want it to."

Whatever response Marina was expecting, that wasn't it. Her entire body froze as she tried to process what Jimmy had just said.

"You left," she whispered. "_You_ left, Jimmy. Not me. I told you that I loved you, and you _left_."

"I was stupid. And scared," Jimmy replied hoarsely. "And I've never regretted anything more, believe me." He leaned forward, taking Marina's hands in his own. "But if you love him, Marina, I'll leave now and you'll never see me again."

Marina laughed, tears shining in her eyes. "You're the only one I've ever loved, Jimmy."

Jimmy grinned and pulled her close, their lips just barely brushing each other's. Before he could really kiss her, however, Marina took a deep breath and pulled away.

"What?" he murmured, trying to pull her back to him.

"Ask me to run away with you."

"_What_?"

"You heard me."

Jimmy stared at her incredulously. "But why?"

"I can't stay here anymore," Marina answered. "Either way, I'm leaving. But I need to know if—"

"Shut up," Jimmy said firmly. "I'm not going to ask you to run away with me." Marina's eyes filled with tears, but then Jimmy was kissing her, his fingers tangled in her long hair. "I'll just kidnap you now, and we'll figure the rest out later, okay?"

"You are such an idiot," Marina snapped. "I mean, seriously. A complete and total—" She didn't get any farther because Jimmy's lips were planted firmly on hers. Marina gave a small squeak of protest, and Jimmy grinned.

"Is there a problem?" he asked innocently.

Marina rolled her eyes. "You're lucky you're cute," she muttered, kissing him.

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><p>Alfie smiled to himself as he listened to Marina' mother screeching and hollering downstairs. She hadn't taken kindly to the idea that Marina was not only breaking her engagement with Vincent, but also running off with, in her words, "that awful Kenta boy from town".<p>

Amused, Alfie watched as Mrs. Davis climbed the stairs and headed to her room, muttering under her breath about all the stubborn, hardheaded things Marina had done in her life.

"I guess being stubborn isn't such a bad thing after all," he murmured to himself.

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><p><strong>Questshipping for the win! Anyway, reviews are always wonderful, especially nice ones. <strong>


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